The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf has concluded its 66th session at United Nations Headquarters, with Pacific submissions among those reviewed.
The session ran from 09 February to 13 March with plenary meetings held from 09–13 February and 02–06 March.
The remainder focused on technical examination of submissions at the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, including work in geographic information systems laboratories.
During the opening plenary, the Division’s Director updated the Commission on planned building renovations and the impact of United Nations General Assembly budget decisions and the ongoing liquidity crisis.
He provided updates regarding the planned renovations to the building where the Commission conducts its work and noted that the Division was monitoring the progress of the renovation project and would continue to keep the Commission informed
The Director also addressed the impacts of both General Assembly decisions in respect of the 2026 budget and the ongoing liquidity crisis, reiterating the commitment of the Division to deliver high-quality support to the Commission within available means.
The Commission examined submissions from several coastal States, including Yemen, Mauritius, Palau, Portugal, Spain, Namibia, Mozambique, Mexico, the United Republic of Tanzania and Denmark, along with revised submissions from Brazil and the Russian Federation.
Pacific interests featured prominently, with presentations on joint submissions by Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu covering the North Fiji Basin region, as well as a joint submission by Fiji and Solomon Islands on the Melanesian Borderlands Plateau. Fiji also presented an amendment to its submission.
High-level participation highlighted the importance of the Commission’s work, with Gustav N. Aitaro, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Palau, and Alexander Kozlov, Minister for Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, leading their respective delegations.
The Commission also agreed to establish a subcommission to consider Yemen’s amended submission relating to the area south-east of Socotra Island.
